Phillies fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief. A.J. Burnett declined his $12.75 player option on Monday, making him a free agent. Burnett gets a $1 million buyout from the Phillies as a result of the club declining their half of the mutual option.

With the team expected to be nowhere near contention for some time, the Phillies (and their fans) were all hoping Burnett would not have to be paid $12.75 million to pitch for what is likely to be a cellar dweller in 2015. Get comfortable Phillies fans, there is likely quite a few years of mediocrity ahead. By: Kyle BabcockFollow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat